Trader Joe's Steaks, Ranked Worst To Best

It's hard not to get distracted by all the choices that Trader Joe's offers as you stroll down its aisles. One thing that many people tend to overlook at Trader Joe's are the steaks. Some shoppers may not be sure if the steaks are good quality, especially if they tend to go to a local butcher for their meat.

All of the Trader Joe's steaks that were used in this ranking are USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) choice, meaning that they're a high-quality cut of meat. Choice-grade beef has less marbling than USDA prime, so it won't be as juicy and flavorful. But, it has more marbling than USDA select. Beef cut grades can be a little bit confusing, but just know that any meat labeled with the USDA grade means that it's meat that is safe to eat and is high-quality.

I headed to Trader Joe's to find the truth about its steaks myself. I selected every cut of steak that my store had, then I cooked up each cut with a cast iron pan (medium rare), seasoned them with salt and pepper, and tasted them. When tasting each steak, I paid attention to the consistency of the steak, amount of juiciness, flavor, and overall mouthfeel. 

Landing in last place in my ranking is the flank steak. Before I cooked it, I analyzed the appearance of the raw cut. It had a decent amount of marbling, and was definitely thicker than some of the other cuts that I bought. It cooked up very nicely, with a crispy exterior and juicy and rich interior.

The first thing I noticed with the flank steak was how chewy it was. Now, this is true with almost any flank steak you'll get — not just from Trader Joe's. Unfortunately, this meant I had to place the flank steak last. The texture made it not as enjoyable to eat as the rest of the steaks that I tasted. The flank steak had a really great flavor, which shone through every bite. It tasted great with just salt and pepper.

Truthfully, I just wouldn't want to sit down and eat a cut of this steak on its own because of how tough it is. Trader Joe's sells very thick cuts of this steak, which takes a ton of time to chew through. I would definitely recommend having the Trader Joe's flank steak as a topping to nachos, a taco, or even a delicious flank stank stir fry — where it can be cut up into smaller pieces.

I was eager to try Trader Joe's top sirloin based on looks alone. It had a deeply vibrant red color with a bit of marbling. The container came with two pieces, which would be great for a dinner for two — and since I got the steaks for less $20, I really can't complain.

The cooking process made this steak incredibly crispy on the outside. Then, as I cut into it, I could see it was still vibrantly red with juices flowing out. I appreciated that there wasn't a ton of fat on either of these cuts, so I was able to eat most of the pieces. I was impressed by the flavor, too — just not as much as I was with the other cuts.

The flavor of the sirloin wasn't very salty — and sometimes I prefer my steak to have a bit of a saltier taste. I'd say that it was more of a neutral flavor; nothing jumped out at me. It had a great consistency and remained nice and juicy to chew, even with the crispy exterior. It did seem like the salt and pepper got lost when this cut was cooked, while the other steaks I tried preserved that flavor. I would recommend a sauce, like a peppercorn or simple Worcestershire sauce, to help liven up the dish a bit.

Although the Trader Joe's ribeye seemed a bit thinner than other cuts of ribeye I've bought at grocery stores before, I ended up really enjoying this cut. It had a good amount of marbling throughout, though its color was more pale than the vibrant red color that the other Trader Joe's cuts had. This made me curious to see if the flavor would be as potent, and luckily, it was.

This ribeye had quite a few fatty bits that I had to cut away. I usually prefer less fat on my steak — so that's really one of the main reasons that this steak was ranked in the middle of my list. The flavor was incredibly tasty and definitely surprised me a bit. The flavors were light and delicious, but still very potent. The salt and pepper worked perfectly with the cut, and brought out a distinct buttery quality. It was also incredibly juicy, easy to chew, and full-bodied without being overwhelming.

This is a cut I'd definitely reach for at Trader Joe's again. I thought that it was affordable, could easily satisfy a single person for a meal, and could be a great option for anyone who wants to treat themselves to a nicer meal at home.

New York strip is one of my go-to cuts of steak to order at a steakhouse. Since I've eaten quite a few (from the best steakhouses in New York City to a luxury cruise line's dining room), I was surprised that Trader Joe's New York strip steak landed itself in second place on my list. The raw meat had a deep red color that made me incredibly excited to taste it. Once it was cooked, it had an amazing layer of crust on top that crunched perfectly with each bite.

The flavoring of the New York strip steak was solidly delicious. The butteriness of the meat was perfection, and the juices were refreshing and popping with zestiness. I kept going back for more and more bites because I enjoyed the flavor so much. Another thing that was a major positive for this cut was the thickness and consistency of the meat. It wasn't too thin or too thick, and I was able to bite into the steak easily without it being too chewy. 

Ultimately, I thought that Trader Joe's NY strip steak stacked up to other amazing strip steaks I've had – but the best part was that I was only paying a fraction of the price for the same quality. This New York strip steak from Trader Joe's was less than half the price of what I would be charged at a restaurant in NYC for a simply prepared, easy-to-make New York strip steak.

The winner of the Trader Joe's steak taste test easily went to the filet mignon. I was absolutely in love with this cut of steak, and it was much more expensive than the other cuts. For an almost 15-ounce cut, it cost me about $10 more than most of the other cuts. Now, I know that seems like a lot for one piece of steak that you're going to make yourself at home, but I truly thought that the price was worth it.

The Trader Joe's filet mignon had tons of marbling throughout, which melted beautifully into the meat as it was cooked. The fat created the richest and fullest flavor out of all of the Trader Joe's steaks. The outside browned to perfection while the middle stayed perfectly medium-rare. Meanwhile, its juices burst out onto the plate as I sliced into it. My taste buds practically exploded on the first bite. The consistency of the steak was silky smooth and incredibly buttery. I also enjoyed how salty it was, which permeated to the core of the meat. It also had a uniquely smoky flavor as well, which added to the richness of the entire steak.

At the end of my tasting, the filet mignon was the piece that I wanted to dive in and completely finish. It was deliciously satisfying and is the perfect cut to buy if you're craving a quality piece of steak.

For this taste test, I bought every single cut of steak that was offered at my local Trader Joe's. However, the selection may change depending on the area you live in. 

To cook each steak, I seasoned each of them with equal amounts of salt and pepper. I then cooked them on a cast iron skillet until they were medium-rare. To keep the taste test fair, I waited until each steak was done cooking (and kept them warm with foil) and tasted them all together. I took one bite after another, and carefully compared the qualities I noticed in each steak. Overall, I focused on finding the steak that gave me the most overall enjoyment and satisfaction. Taste profile, consistency, juiciness, and mouthfeel all played a role in my ranking.